Nilüfer Yanya graced Nottingham’s rescue rooms for the penultimate show on her UK tour, reeling off tracks from her steadfast new album My Method Actor- Ross Williams reviews…
Eli Smart was the tepid support for the evening, with his solo performance that felt a lot like watching an ex make spacy-stoner loops in their bedroom. In his defence, his recorded material is super, but he could better serve his songs with a full band behind him. The packed floor anticipated an ecstatically charged show from Nilüfer and her band (and that’s exactly what we got). My Method Actor is Nilüfer Yanya’s third LP, owing co-writing and production credits to Wilma Archer AKA Slime. Tracks like Just A Western and Like I say (I runaway) are eminently well-crafted songs, with lyricism that toes the searching line between peace and panic; visceral symbolism and literal verse offer seething emotional depth. Nilufer’s far reaching vocal cadences brought a late 70s jazz-foray Joni Mitchell to mind; Indefinitely catchy riffs and hooks kept listeners eagerly awaiting the next chorus’s helping of ear candy.
Mutations demonstrated the deft transfer of the My Method Actor album to a live setting.
With Swells galore and rudiment-y drum break, Nilüfer’s taffy textured tone on the humbuckers span an intimate yarn that was easy to sink your teeth into. The band’s tone and spirit bent round melancholy avenues and through exposed courtyards.
The Flux between the slight and steady new tracks like Binding and the established favourites like Stabilise kept the show well-paced and varied, with Heavyweight Champion of the Year being a standout solo aside. The set was also sprinkled with tape artefacts, acting as charming segues between songs. An encore featuring a driving cover of PJ Harvey’s Rid of Me brought the gig to a close.
In total, the show was a cerebral exhibition of an artist maturing in her abilities, with her set almost exclusively consisting of her later two albums. This tour has invariably proven that Nilufer Yanya is an artist to keep your eyes fixed on, as she continues to create fantastic music and deliver great shows.
Ross Williams
Photos courtesy of Nilüfer Yanya's Facebook
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